Henry Hoy was born in Mifflinburg, Union County, Pennsylvania January 12, 1840. When six years of age he came with his parents, Daniel and Sarah Hoy, in a covered wagon to Stephenson County, Illinois and grew up to manhood amidst the rugged hills of Loran. When a young man he was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran Church.

He heard the call of his country in the dark days of the sixties, enlisted and served three years in F Troop, 92nd Ill. Mounted Infantry, Wilder's Brigade, 4th Division, 14 Corps Army of Cumberland. It was a pleasure for him to relate that during his three years of Civil War service he was never reprimanded or placed on extra duty for conduct unbecoming a soldier. Receiving an honorable dischargefrom service, he returned to Illinois and on January 1, 1871, married Eliza Johnston, the daughter of William and Rosa Johnston, and settled on a farm north of Mt. Carroll, where he remained until 1875 when he moved to the farm three-quarters of a mile northwest of Shannon. Here he spent the most vigorous years of his life. In 1903 he moved one-quarter of a mile east from the old home, where he retired.

He had six children, Amanda Parker, Daniel S. Hoy, Una Moll, Charles W Hoy, Edna Sturtevant and Harvey H Hoy. Edna Sturtevant is the only surviving one of his family. She still lives on the old Hoy Homestead.

Amanda Hoy Parker, born on a farm north of Mt. Carroll, moved with her parents three-quarters of a mile northwest of Shannon. On June 2, 1896 she married George Parker. They moved to an adjoining farm over the hill. After the death of her husband, she and her son Charlie farmed until she moved to shannon into the house now occupied by Marvin Ruthe until her death. She had eight children, Raymond, Marian Miller, Mildred Koch, Herald, Charlie, Ralph, Edythe Brooks and Frank. Raymond at the age of 17 enlisted in the Navy in World War I, serving the full term and coming back to work in Rockford. There he lived till he passed on.

Marian Parker Miller lives in Lanark. She worked in Freeport and Savannah as a dressmaker, still spends her spare time sewing. Marian has eight children, Verlyn, Pauline Wright, Russell, Lucille Meyers, Irene Rahn, Margaret Graham, Richard and George. Verlyn enlisted in the Army in World War II, serving the full time 1941-46. Pauline Wright enlisted during World War II in the Women's Army Corps 1941-46. Lucille Meyers was a cadet nurse during World War II. Richard served his country for two years, Korean War.

Mildred Parker Koch lives in Rock Falls, does housework and had nine children, Marcella, Maxine, Edwin, Leroy, Harriet, Majorie, Mary, Madeline and Tommy. Edwin and Leroy enlisted in the Army during World War II, 1941-46.

Charlie Parker lives on a little farm at the edge of Ame, Mich. He has four children, one in Vietnam War. Ralph Parker, a welder, lives in Flint, Mich, has two sons. Edythe Brooks of Kalamazoo, Mich., is a registered nurse with one daughter, Susan. Frank Parker enlisted in the Air Force shortly before World War II and served his country for 20 years attaining the rank of Top Sergrant. He passed away in Los Angeles, Ca.

Daniel S Hoy was born near Mt. Carroll; at the age of one he moved to a farm northwest of shannon, latter attended Fulton Business College and the Northern Illinois Normal School at Dekalb. He had a shoe store in Warren and at Shasnnon; later he entered the field of general merchandising. He was one of the founders of the People's State Bank of Shannon which opened in 1920. He first served as cashier, later president. In 1930, the two banks merged forming the First State Bank of Shannon of which he became president. He married Lou E Booth and their two children are Helen Hoy Deischer of Hot Springs, S.D., and Donald.

Helen Hoy Deischer was a teacher until her marriage to Merle Deischer. She and her husband run a Ben Franklin Store in Hot Springs. Their daughter Barbara Jean works for the Circuit Court in Denver, Colo. Donald Hoy was associated with the City National Bank and Trust Company of Chicago, where he was an attorney in the trust department. He enlisted in World War II in 1942; an Ensign in the U.S. Naval Reserve.He was lost at sea in the Artic on March 9, 1943.

Una Hoy Moll, born in Cherry Grove Township, married George Moll. She lived on the old Moll farm northwest of Shannon for 15 years when her health began to fail. They moved to Shannon where she resided until her death. Her daughter, Hazel married J.W. Erdmier and the two operated the William Erdmier farm south of Shannon, then moved to the old Moll farm where she was born. Later they moved to Shannon and built a beautiful brick house. She was a faithful member of the American Legion Auxillary, had one son Robert, he enlisted in the Army of World War II serving two years 767 Tank Battalion, 25th Division. He was stationed at Hawaii for a while, then Japan during 1944-46. He married Betty Nesemeier, lives in Shannon and has two children, Lyz and Dan.

Charles Hoy was born on the old Hoy homestead in Cherry Grove, married Mabel Byington, had no superiors as a gentleman and a few equals - always kind loving, good hearted, and a friend to everbody. He began farming for himself at the age of sixteen and continued this work all his life. Charles had three daughters, Margaret E Ross, Alice M Chitty and Mary Elnora Champion. Margaret Hoy Ross did secretarial work until her marriage to Paul Ross., the Mt. Carroll postmaster. They have one daughter Charline who has a wonderful postion in Chicago. Alice Hoy Chitty was the Lanark School Secretary until her marriage to Gene Chitty; she now lives in Rockford, has one son, Dennis. Elnora Hoy Champion lives in Lanark, has a dry goods store where she spends most of her time. She married Emmerson Champion, is the mother of three children, Charles, Sylvia and Kathy.

Edna Hoy Sturtevant, also born on the old Hoy homestead is still living there. She loves to cook and bake her own food, yet is a good gardener. She married Bert Sturtevant; her daughter Faye married Porter Byers. She works in the Johnson Nursing Home, Shannon, has one daughter, Mary Lou, of Iowa City, a nurse at the University Hospital. Fern lives in the old Hoy homestead with her mother. She is a second grade teacher at the Shannon grade school which she enjoys.

Dr. Harvey Hoy was born in Cherry Grove Township, in the old Hoy homestead. He went to college at Mt. Morris and attended dental college in Chicago. After he became a dentist, he practiced in Shannon for 50 years until his death. He married Vera Burt Hoy and they had two children LaVonne and Charles.

LaVonne Hoy Osborne lived in Freeport most of her married life. She was graduated from Northern Illinois University, had two daughters, Margaret and Jane. She was employed at the time of her death by the Illinois Child Welfare Department at Champaign. Charles Hoy lived in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. for 15 years until his death in 1961. There he was in active civic affairs, was the founder and president of the U.S. Land Development Corporation with offices in Ft. Lauderdale and St. Petersburg. He served his country overseas in the World War II being honorably discharged with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel from the U.S. Army. He has one daughter, Nan.